Game-piece support and process of using the same



Aug. 28, 1928.

W. L. M. .CLARK GAME PIECE SUPPORT AND PROCESS OF USING THE SAME Filed Oct. 17, 1927 Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STA WILLIAM L. M. CLARK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TES

GAME-PIECE SUPPORT AND PROCESS OF USING THE SAME.

Application filed October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,655.

My invention relates to game piece sup ports,

the piece particularly to such devices intended with games in which s are small blocks with one face marked to indicate the nature of the piece in the game.

The principal object of the invention is a support in which the pieces may be held so as to be easily visible to the player to whom they belongbut concealed from the view of tl 'ie other players, in which the pieces may be easily arranged for the play and in which individual pieces may be easily for play.

grasped The invention consists in the game piece support and process of using the same and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the accompanying drawing,

support with its hinged members spread out fiat and the game pieces arranged lace down on one portion thereof,

Fig.2 is an end View. showlng the hinged members Fig. arranged folded together to hold-the pieces,

3 is an end View showing the support on edge ready to be opened out for use in the play, and

Fig. 4.

is a perspective view showing the device opened out or unfolded supporting the pieces for play.

A preferred use of the invention is in play- 7 ing bridge or other card or tiles games using pieces 1 consistin of small blocks 0t wood,

composition or other suitable material one face of which has the nature'ot the piece marked thereon. The drawing" illustrates flares rep resenting ordinary playing cards.-

The device may be used in connection with Mah jongg or other games using tiles.

A strip oi metal 2 or other material has a flange 3 along edges of the game pieces. test against the The up larly disposed with reference to the body one edge adapted to support the Said game pieces inclined body of the strip 2. per portion 4 of the strip '2 is anguthereof, being bent along a line 5 at about the 11 )per edges of the game pieces 1.

w on the Thus support isin use in a game, the upper portion 4 of said strip is disposed substantially ver tically and constitutes a shield that conceals the pieces 1 from the view of other players.

Said strip 2 and a second strip 6 are hinged 1y secured together by means of a pintle 7 hen said strips are unfolded or opened out as ncarly back to back as possible, the support is in position to hold the game pieces for play. as shown in F 4:. The strip 6 constitutes a brace for the strip 2, the two members tormmg substantially an inverted V.-

The strip 2 may be provided with end flanges S to prevent tiles from slipping olif the ends ol the strip 2 if it should be tilted.

In the preferred process of using the support, the pieces are placed by the player face down on the plain strip 6 of the hinge, as shown in Fig. 1. After the pieces are all in place on said strip 6, the strip 2 with the edge flange 3 may be "folded over on the plain strip 6 as shown in Fig. 2, the bent portion at being at such an angle that the body of said strip 2 lies flat againstthe game pieces 1. The sup port is then turned into the position shown in Fig. 3 with the edge flange 3 resting on the table. Then the plain strip 6 may be folded 7;, up and over into its supporting position as shown in Fig. 4. This puts the pieces face up ready for the player.

The above described support makes it makes it easy to hande game pieces and play them, it conceals the pieces from the view of. other players, it is simple and inexpensive and it is easy to use. i

Vhat I claim is:

A game piece support comprising a plain strip adapted to receive game pieces and a strip having a flange along its edge and having an angularly disposed portion hinged to said plain strip whereby said flanged strip is toldable on said plain strip with its flange overhanging said game pieces to hold them in position on said plain strip and when said flanged strip is placed inclined on edge andsaid plain strip unfolded, the pieces are supported on said flanged strip with their opposite faces exposed. v Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 14th day of October, 1927.

WILLIAM L. M. CLARK. 

